Terroir 2012 recap: what we saw, heard and ate at the big annual food industry meet-up

Kevin Gilmour (sous chef at The Drake Hotel) was assisted by his crew at this pork carving station. Hunks of roasted pork were served over a peanut-ginger slaw (Image: Renée Suen)

Last week, 500 members or so of Canada’s food and hospitality industry gathered for Terroir VI at the newly renovated Arcadian Court. The theme for this year’s symposium was “The New Radicals,” a new generation of chefs that have a collaborative and unconventional approach to cuisine despite their conventional training. Symposium chair Arlene Stein had arranged a line up of the industry’s finest from Canada and abroad, assembled on panels featuring restaurateurs, writers and chefs from the old and new vanguard—most attendees agreed this year’s crop was the best yet (before the event we spoke to Australian chef Ben Shewry, as well as sustainable aquaculture champion Barton Seaver and natural wine advocate Alice Feiring.). New to the event was the GE Monogram Terroir Awards, a peer-nominated pool that recognized chef Ryan Crawford (of Stone Road Grille in Niagara-on-the-Lake), sommelier Will Predhomme (Canoe) and Virgilio Vea (food and beverage director at Langdon Hall) as being industry leaders. Check out our roundup of who showed up and what they ate from our slideshow of the day.

Langdon Hall’s food and beverage director Virgilio Vea received the inaugural GE Monogram Terroir award for excellence in front-of-house service

135861

(Image: Renée Suen)

Ben Shewry, chef of Attica in Melbourne, talked about how cooking can affect the surrounding environment. He plated two surprisingly moving videos: Kobe and the Sea, where Shewry teaches his son about abalone fishing and Spindrift, a short film about the difficulties of sustainable mussel farming

Ben Shewry, chef of Attica in Melbourne, talked about how cooking can affect the surrounding environment. He plated two surprisingly moving videos: Kobe and the Sea, where Shewry teaches his son about abalone fishing and Spindrift, a short film about the difficulties of sustainable mussel farming

135860

(Image: Renée Suen)

Connie DeSousa (Charcut, Calgary), known for her appearance on season one of Top Chef Canada, shared with attendees the changes she’s experienced since the show

Aquaculture advocate, chef and author Barton Seaver delivered a much-talked-about presentation that charged those present to recognize the human dimension in the fishing industry and make simple but viable choices in their consumption practices

Aquaculture advocate, chef and author Barton Seaver delivered a much-talked-about presentation that charged those present to recognize the human dimension in the fishing industry and make simple but viable choices in their consumption practices

135825

(Image: Renée Suen)

Chef Michael Stadtländer talked about being aware of the natural resources that go into our food, as seen at Foodstock 2011, the mega-quarry mega-protest. He also announced that he’ll be launching a wine along with Ravine Vineyards in tribute to the protest against the mega-quarry proposal, and that Soupstock, a follow-up to Foodstock, will be held on October 21, 2012

Chef Michael Stadtländer talked about being aware of the natural resources that go into our food, as seen at Foodstock 2011, the mega-quarry mega-protest. He also announced that he’ll be launching a wine along with Ravine Vineyards in tribute to the protest against the mega-quarry proposal, and that Soupstock, a follow-up to Foodstock, will be held on October 21, 2012

135824

(Image: Renée Suen)

Toronto’s David Chang (Yours Truly) helps David Givon (The Bellevue) with prep for the crispy beef buffet offering

Mark Cutrara (Cowbell Restaurant) catches up with Ben Shewry from Melbourne’s Attica before the start of the mid-morning sessions. Shewry had visited Cowbell the day before, and told us he appreciated Cutura’s whole-animal philosophy.

Mark Cutrara (Cowbell Restaurant) catches up with Ben Shewry from Melbourne’s Attica before the start of the mid-morning sessions. Shewry had visited Cowbell the day before, and told us he appreciated Cutura’s whole-animal philosophy.